Built-in Values: On the Politicization of Media Platforms

Built-in Values: On the Politicization of Media Platforms

Date:

03.02.2018 11:30

Festival edition:

2018

Format:

Discussion

Location:

K1

Moderated by Marta Peirano

In 2017 numerous incidents of xenophobia, hatred, and racial violence brought to the fore crucial questions about the role and complicity of media platforms. While steps were taken towards the removal of racist content, the terms of service and algorithmic processes involved in social engineering have hardly been addressed. Popular media platforms categorize every piece of information—the constructions of race and gender are thus inscribed directly in their systems. Considering the common example of proposed search queries and targeted ads, one comes to question how such deeply embedded biases—and, therefore, values—can change. Against the backdrop of the recent so-called politicization of media platforms, this discussion session will explore if and how other, more inclusive architectures of communication can still be imagined.